Hello to all the plant nuts like me,
I would like some assistance Identifying this plant. I am relatively sure I have I.D.'d it correctly, but that is notoriously mistaken with plant enthusiasts. I have located what I believe to be a unique plant variety since I can not locate photos of it in any database I have checked. I am linking photos of the variegated stingray I found in the wild here in Tumaco, Colombia. As you can see in the photos, the leaves of this plant are significantly different than the Stingray you will find photos of online. Also the stems have a striated variegation that is very nice. This plant is showing very vigorous growth habits putting on two leaves in the span of one week. I believe this one to be a juvenile, & am waiting impatiently to see it grow to full potential. Please feel free to contact me relating to the Stingray that I am sending photos of now. I added new photos showing a clearer view of the tail as well as the growth features of the plant. I hope this helps with a positive ID, or a declaration that it is unique!
Sincerely,
Noel Calvert
[email protected]

Noel: Wow, that is a really nice looking plant; I love that variegated foliage!

There is the solid green Alocasia 'Stingray' listed in the database: Upright Elephant Ear (Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Stingray') but I did not find an entry for a variegated form. I'm not real familiar with Alocasia or Aroids, but we do have a few Aroid enthusiasts and experts here so you might want to also post your photo's on the Aroid forum to see if you get any response from someone who grow those beauties!

Here's a link to the Aroid forum: http://garden.org/forums/view/...

Could it be Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Variegata' Variegated Upright Elephant Ear (Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Variegata')

Is it certain that it's an Alocasia?

Hello JRsbugs ,
I added new photos showing a clearer view of the tail as well as the growth features of the plant. I hope this helps with a positive ID, or a declaration that it is unique! see first post!
Noel Calvert

South American plants are many, and often not easy to identify. Take a look at for example Xanthosoma sp. on the FloraSBS site/

https://sites.google.com/site/...

I forgot about Xanthosoma! Here's one for comparison: http://www.growsonyou.com/phot...

edited to add: Here's another for comparison, "Mickey Mouse Taro" X. albo marginata : http://www.briansbotanicals.ne...

I think this is the best choice for an ID at this point. I am waiting on more leaves, & eventually flowering to ID it positively. I do know the data listed about this one does not match. This plant likes full sun at least until around noon. The largest leaf my plant has is damaged due to wind, not to sun. I will be cutting this leaf off in another day or so after the plant has taken what it can from the leaf.

Noel Calvert

Xanthosoma albo-marginata certainly does look a good bet!

http://mgnliners.com/plants/xa...

http://www.agristarts.com/htm/...

Xanthosoma atrovirens "albomarginata" ..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/t...

None of those names are recognised on the Plant List,

http://www.theplantlist.org/tp...

Xanthosoma sagittifolium 'Albomarginatum Monstrosum'

http://www.smith.edu/gardens/b...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/j...

http://www.kartuz.com/p/69163/...

Xanthosoma atrovirens albo-marginatum is listed in a pdf I found of plants in Colombia, the name seems to have changed though. It's near the bottom of the page in the second alphabetical list.

http://www.cucutanuestra.com/t...

From Kartuz..

Xanthosoma sagittifolium 'Albomarginatum Monstrosum'

(Syn.: Xanthosoma atrovirens 'Variegatum Monstrosum'), Mickey Mouse Plant, Mouse Cup, Pocket Plant

http://www.kartuz.com/search=A...

Xanthosoma sagittifolium 'Variegatum Monstrosum'

Also sold as:
Xanthosoma atrovirens albomarginata
Xanthosoma 'Albomarginata'
Xanthosoma albomarginata

Thanks for the assistance identifying this plant. I thought it was a different family due to the tail, & the growth pattern, but this looks like the right match. We will see as this matures. At the moment it is in a 6" pot, but I will move it to a 3 gallon bucket in a couple of weeks. I want it to put on some more leaves first. When I transferred it from the wild to the pot, the shock time was relatively short. It started growing again in about a week, & added two leaves that week. One of the sites I found it on suggested this was a vestigial remnant of an evolutionary attempt at a carnivorous plant from the cup that forms on the leaves. I am not sure how to view that assumption, but that would be interesting to see in action...err if there is such a thing as action with pitcher type plants...HEHE

I would have thought the cup shaped leaf was more to do with either a genetic malformation, or in my personal view an adaptation of the plant to hold water. Variegated leaves such as this with yellow burn much easier than green leaves. Sometimes I think the experts over think things, but they might be right.

Hi Noel,
If your plant is X. 'Variegatum Monstrosum', as the leaves mature they should display the distortions as seen in some of the photos in our database entry. Also, do the leaves have a collecting vein running along the outside edge. This is a key trait of Xanthosoma.

Hello guys,
After carefully comparing the photos again, these do not seem to match my plant. They are much more open than my plant, & the leaves do not have the vain mentioned. Here are the closest plant photos I found, but they still do not match. It is possible that a juvenile plant has different features, so we will see.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/j...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/j...

Just to clarify Noel, your plant does not have the collecting vein?

Evan
Unless I am misunderstanding what vein you are talking about (the vein ringing the outer edge of the leaf that seems to be used to collect & return fluids from the leaf) , then no I do not see this vein. I also am noting the cup on this plant is much more defined . See my pics. The lobes of the leaf extend from the middle of the leaf where the cup ends. I am going to try to get better photos this week. Webcam pictures kinda suck for this. Would pics of the rhizome help? I wish this was a mature plant so I could get photos of the "flower" Looks like we have a positive ID of Xanthosoma atrovirens , but I am still watching the plant to see if it changes as it matures.
Noel

Yellow variegation of new leaves becomes white; puckering and leaf-tissue overgrowth is characteristic early in leaf development.

http://www.imagejuicy.com/imag...

http://davesgarden.com/guides/...

The vein I can see is not on the very edge of the leaf.

on the 2nd link , 8 photos down is a photo of a leaf almost exactly like what I have. I am just hoping for some more growth to confirm with more mature leaves...

Noel,

I will have a few real Allocadia stingray "variegata" plants here next week. I will share their photo with you then.